Polymer-metal interactions and their effect on tool-ply friction of C/PEKK in melt

Abstract

Abstract. Excessive friction or adhesion between tool and surface ply can lead to processing defects during thermoplastic composite manufacturing. A previous study identified a notable increase in friction or adhesion between a mild steel tool surface and C/PEKK with prolonged dwell time at elevated temperature, a phenomenon that could not be explained by our current understanding. This work presents additional friction and differential scanning calorimetry experiments to demonstrate that the increased adhesion results from polymer-metal interactions that lead to polymer degradation and metal-polymer bonding. These findings underline the importance of tool material selection in both processing and characterization of tool-ply friction.